Where we examine both sides of the coin and let the chips fall where they may.It's always heads or tails.You can't honestly decide unless you look at both.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Retire

The exorbitant luxury tax isn't the only reason a team would let Mike Miller go. As conscious as the new Grizzlies ownership is of the luxury tax. You can bet they wouldn't even pay the minimum to anybody that isn't pulling some minutes. Let alone $6M a year for coming off the bench. Beyond those they already have on contract. They don't even plan to pay the starters that much.

I think the acqisition of Miller might have more to do with him being damaged goods than anything else. It's not all about the money with the Heat. Miami would rather have the space on the roster. I'm not familiar with all the exceptions and neither is the average fan. But Miami's starting five puts them over the cap off the bat. But they aren't trying to get rid of any of them. Had he fit into their future plans they would have kept him. He came back to Memphis to retire.

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Free agent forward Mike Miller has agreed to the terms of his contract with the Grizzlies and is set to sign it next week, an NBA source confirmed Saturday morning to The Commercial Appeal.

The source said Miller, who played six seasons with the Grizzlies through 2008 before being traded to Minnesota, is expected to sign the contract at a press conference at FedExForum that will likely take place on Tuesday.

Three days ago, Miller told the Grizzlies he would accept their offer, choosing his old team over a handful of other suitors.

The Miami Heat amnestied Miller, who is heading into his 14th NBA season, this month, allowing other teams to pursue him. The Heat will pay the remainder of Miller's contract; he's owed $12.8 million over the next two seasons.

Oklahoma City and Houston were the Grizzlies' competition for the 6-foot-8, 33-year-old Miller. Griz owner Robert Pera and CEO Jason Levien visited Miller at his home in Miami late last week. Griz guard Mike Conley and center Marc Gasol also lobbied Miller from long distance.

Since leaving the Grizzlies, Miller has played with the Timberwolves, Washington and Miami. With the Heat, he was part of the team's deep and talented bench that helped them to three straight NBA Finals including back-to-back championships the last two seasons.

Various injuries such a sports hernia forced Miller to play a combined 80 regular season games in his first two years with the Heat, but a healthier Miller raised that to 59 games this past season. Miller emerged as a key figure in the playoffs the last two seasons, scoring 23 points and hitting 7 of 8 3-pointers in the Heat’s 2012 title-clinching victory over the Thunder.

After that game, Miller’s chronic back problems made him consider retirement. But for the first time in his career, he decided to rest his back, not touching a basketball for two months following the season. All he did was stretching exercises, and Miller said during the recent Finals in June that “it’s the best I’ve felt in five seasons.”

Miller, originally obtained by the Griz in a trade from Orlando in February 2003, started 277 of his 371 regular season games in six seasons with the Grizzlies and averaged 14.6 points. In the only season he came off the bench, 2005-06, he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

Miller holds seven team records including most points in a game (45 vs. Golden State in February 2007) and season records for 3-point percentage (43.3 percent in 2004-05) and 3-pointers made and attempted (202 and 498, both in 2006-07). He is the team’s career leader in 3-point percentage (41.5) and 3-pointers made and attempted (737 and 1,778).

Memphis is not a destination city just because we signed Mike Miller. The guy still has a house here, wouldn't have to pay an income tax, and will likely ride the wave he is on into a wealthy retirement.

I may not be the first to say this, but I have my doubts that Mike Miller will give us the same results he gave Miami, especially when you consider the peer pressure of "The Big 3" in addition to the benefit of being wide open when teams double/triple teamed a guy like Lebron. Tell me how many times either Mike Miller OR Shane Battier gave us the kind of results they gave the Heat when it mattered most. I think those results are more a product of the team than the player.

We are definitely now a much deeper team, which is good, but getting past San Antonio, OKC and HOU will be a pretty big challenge. The Clippers will also have a healthy B. Griffin.

The important thing is that we are relevant in the basketball world and will hopefully start getting more primetime coverage.